Chapter 7: Rule One

The cabin sat at the end of a gravel road on the north shore of Marlow Lake.

It had a dock, a screened porch, and a red canoe turned over on the grass.

Edith stood on the porch with her cardigan buttoned wrong and watched Effie run straight down to the water.

"Ducks!" Effie shouted.

"Stay on the dock!" I shouted back.

Rhett was already walking after her with the cane.

He had that slow, careful stride that tried to look like a normal one.

"Captain!" Effie yelled. "Carry me. I want to see the ducks from up high."

"Your mother says my leg's not allowed."

"My mother says lots of things," Effie said.

I covered my face with one hand.

On the dock, Rhett looked back at me.

I should have said no.

"One short ride," I called. "And then he sits down."

"Aye aye," Rhett said, and Effie shrieked with joy.

He crouched, slowly, with his jaw set, and she climbed up on his shoulders and clutched his hair in both fists.

He stood without making a sound.

I stood on the porch and looked at the two of them against the water.

Her legs hung down over his chest, bare and brown from the sun.

Her sandals bumped his collarbone.

"Mm," Edith said beside me.

She had not been looking at the lake.

She was looking at my face.

"I'll take her down to see the ducks," she said. "Properly. With a bag of bread. You and my grandson may wash up the lunch dishes."

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